The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-04-21
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
FALL FEED.


FALL FEED.
Now is the time to provide for it. August
and the two months following it are often hot
and dry. and the grass so short that not only
mich cows but growing and fatteniug cattle
will eat greedily any fodder that holds its
greenness. Sweet corn is frequently recon-
mended for this purpose; but for fattening at a
small expense sorghum cane has been found
excellent. 1t is tedious to start in the Spring,
but we are sure that years ago. when we first
raised it, We planted it too early. If planted
late in May or in June on fresh, rich soil, it
sprouts promptly, keeps even with the weeds
for while and soon outgrows and shades them.
1t is very rich in saccharine matter, and all
kinds OF stock, whether sheep, cattle, horses or
hogs, will eat it greedily, especially after
slight frost. A recent writer in the Dairyman
speaks thus of its management when intended
for Fall feed: If sown broadcast the land
should be well prepared by blowing and har-
rowing, and then sow broadcast, using about
three-quarters of bushel per acre, as it should
| stand reasonably thick in order to keep down
the weeds. Cover with either light harrow
| or brush. Very little covering is necessary,
yet L always consider it best to cover little.
| Nothing else is needed; the crop will take care
Of itself If run in drills, mark them out far
enough apart to run the cultiyator between the
rows; sow the seed rather thick in the drills;
do not cover deep. To avoid this the best plan
| Is to run out the burrows reasonably shallow
The soil, of course, should be thoroughly pre-
pared before planting. Cultivate until a good
| start to growing has been secured By this
time ordinarily the plants will shade the ground
and keep down the weeds. Sorghum cane will
Withstand the drouth much better than sweet
or field corn, and will make large crop of feed
when corn would have proved failure. 1t
Will yield an immense amount of feed, and if
the Fall should be late one a fine second crop
may be secured, rs the earlier cut stalks will
make a second growth. 1t can be sown any
time after the 1st of May, and will be ready for
use generally in 60 days after planting or the
planting can be delayed until the latter part Of
June.
FENCES.
Fences are a nuisance which to some extent
must be submitted TO rs a necessary evil. But
when farmers complain that the roads are made
impossible by snowdrfts heaped up between
the staked and rdered snake rail fences thew
are simply magnifying an evil for which they
are alone responsible. Road fences are wholly
unnecessary. Cattle and pigs have no right
upon the public roads, nor to run at large upon
other persons property. The roads are the
property of the owners whose fields abut upon
them, hence vagrant cows and pigs have no
more right 10 Craze on the roadsides than in the
fields. But the farmers might with one con-
sent pull down and remove all road fences and
cultivate the land up to the verge of the pass
ageway. The public have the right Of passage
only, and in passing along the roads must not
trespass upon the "clOSe"-to use the legal
term-Of the owner. The "close" is the
boundary line, which is as inviolable without
as with fence. and a to break the close" is to
pass over the boundary line of another mans
property. Outside fences are rs useless as
fence overhead or . roof over the farm, and
when farmers realize how easy il is TO get along
without them they will quickly do away with
| them. The cattle should be fenced in and not
out. Pastures only, need to be- fenced, and
portable fences may be used with the greatest
economy. The past Winter, with its deep
SHOWS and drifting winds, has opened the eyes
Of some persons to the enormous evil of outside
fences kept up for the benefit of vsgrant cows
and hogs
THE MILK FLOW.
The value of the COW depends very much
upon the period Of milking and the mainte-
nance of the flow of milk. There are very
many cows, as dairymen well know from ex-
perience. that give great promise of good milk
ers, but maintain a flow of milk for only part
of the year. or rather will go dry Cor a period
of four to six months before coming in. Such
animals are much less valuable than those that
maintain a flow of milk until within few
weeks Of the time OF calving. With heifer
just coming TO milk the period Of flow should
be made as long as possible or desirable by
feeding especially to that end, and when once
established will be very likely to be continued
When this is not done it often recedes in
short mixer, and is a reason why there are so
many of that class.
TO DANISH RATS.
writer In the Scientific American saws he
cleared his premises Of the detestable vermin
by making whitewash yellow with copperas
In every creviee in which a rat may go he put
the crystals of the copperas and scattered in
the corners Of the floor. The result was the
complete disappearance of rats and mice. Since
that time not rat or mouse has been seen
near the house. Every Spring the cellar is
coated with the yellow wash as purifier and
rs rat exterminator, and no dysentery or
typhoid fever attacks the family. Never
allow rats and mice to be poisoned in the house:
they are apt to die between the walls and pro-
duce much annoyance.
NOTES.
DO not buy when cheapness is the only
merit.
Trees frozen in transportation should be so
sheltered or covered rs to allow of gradual
thawing.
h'piu aoouJ DultCI. lHc ShlL VIII
cause rust and stain the butter. Metallic rust
is often poisonous.
When a board gets loose on any farm
building, fasten it at once. nail in time
saves nine and perhaps rs many feet of lumber
Limbs broken of by high winds and leav-
ing jagged surface should BIO smoothed with
sharp knife and covered with grating wax
Put horses Of equal strength in the same
team, or even up by giving the weak horse the
advantage in the long end of the doubletree
If less pruning. more manuring and better
cultivation were practiced, we would see far
less old-lOoking. decaying trees at the age Of
80 or 40 years than now
-Grafting for most trees should be done
when the buds are fairly swollen. With cherry
and plum, however. the earlier it is now dole
the greater certainty OF success.
A Vermont farmer plants sunflower seed
instead OF pole TO each hill of beans. The
sturdy stalk answers for POLE and the seeds
supply an excellent feed for poultry
In order 10 make his business profitable
the maker of butter needs to have lust the
fewest possible persons between him and his
patrons-for each must have q consideration
for his part in the business.
"A lump of alum in the drinking water will
assist in toning up the health of the flock
being cheap and handy, it should BIO extensively
used.
Few effects are more beautiful and striking
than that produced by planting together climb.
ing roses and clematises. The habits of growth
Of the two are so similar, and yet their general
appearance is so dissimiar, that they group